Homelessness Solutions & Partnerships

Program Budget Overview

Through partnership within HHS, other city departments and our regional partners, supports sheltering for people experiencing homelessness and advances a “housing first” strategy to help transition community members from homeless to housed. Key initiatives include joint implementation of the Homeless Strategies for Boulder County; investments in nonprofit agencies; implementing special staff- or city council-initiated projects to support basic needs assistance and housing access for homeless individuals.

In 2023, $750,000 in increased funding will support the development of a Homelessness Day Service Center. This budget enhancement aligns with the goals of the 2022 Council workplan, which directed staff to develop and site a Day Service Center over the next two years. As part of this effort, staff plans to also conduct a series of input meetings with service providers and stakeholders to inform program design and location needs. These meetings are scheduled to commence in late August 2023, and funding amounts are estimates based on minimum operation requirements for similar facilities. Funding amounts do not include funding for purchase, rental, or renovation of a facility, and would be provided to a nonprofit organization to operate the service center. Included services will be determined in late 2022 but may include: pre-housing navigation services (obtaining documentation, completing assessments, establishing prioritization list placement, etc.), wrap-around mental/behavioral health counseling or connection, basic needs provision, general case management, Community Court, and overflow Critical Weather sheltering.

The goal of the Homelessness Day Service Center is to serve as a navigation center, a space that creates a welcoming and inclusive environment where individuals experiencing homelessness can come to engage with service providers in a single location. The center will aim to build a sense of healthy community, meet people where they are on their housing journey, replace unproductive habits with productive habits, and provide participants with path to housing.

In addition, $9,150 will support nonpersonnel expenses for a 2022 mid-year staffing increase added for a Homeless Outreach Coordinator (1.0 FTE).